


we were in screaming colour

by skyesward



Category: Reign (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, the one where the world is black and white until you fall for your soulmate basically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-28 00:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2712125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skyesward/pseuds/skyesward
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>my love, thank you for giving me the chance to see this world the way it is, vivid and beautiful, for the first and possibly last time in my life, with you. just know that no matter what happens, i'll always be right there, by your side, enamored by your beauty.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we were in screaming colour

**Author's Note:**

> the soulmates au where your world is black and white until you fall in love with your soulmate and suddenly your world has colour. (modified a tiny bit)

Mary awakes after her first night in Francis' quarters starkly aware that she could see the blonde curls lying in a messy pool beneath Francis' head. It takes her a moment to recognise the nature of the change in her vision, and when she does, it makes her heart skip a beat. It's partially out of joy, the fact that the universe finally acknowledged that her soul mate was sleeping soundly next to her, yet the part of her that knows her first night with him will be her last finds that the entire situation is rather unfortunate. 

 

Mary always though it would be much simpler, that one day she would fall so in love a look at her soulmate would take her breath away, that she would love him so much his life would matter more than hers, and somehow they would spend the rest of their lives in each other’s' arms, discovering the world in swabs of colour, living happily ever after But life, especially the Queen of Scots', was in no way a fairy tale. 

 

So that morning she awoke, savouring every moment as if it were her last (they might as well have been, if the alternative was spending her life without him), acting like she was not going to have to leave him that day. The morning passes in a blur of soft kisses and warm touches, and she thinks that maybe this is happiest she will ever be. They are awoken by a flustered maidservant, stuttering as she informs them that their presence was required in the throne room. 

 

Francis spends the day with his arm placed firmly on her waist, squeezing her hand whenever the brief look of panic emerges on her features, his presence in itself comforting her. Part of her just wants to revel in the attention he's showering her in, but the rational part of her chooses to subtly push him away, mostly in preparation of what she knows is about to happen that day. 

 

She chokes out a declaration of love when she's sure she has to leave, and the look on his face when he returns the sentiment with a crack in his voice is something she's sure she'll remember for the rest of her life. His voice has far surpassed desperation as he screams for her to stay, and she tries to push it out of her mind alongside the daze of green she rides past. (she swears she can hear her heart cracking as the tears free fall down her cheeks) 

 

When she's dragged back to the castle by armed guards, utterly unsure of what she was to do next, seeing him safe and sound just makes what she has to do clearer. She proposes that she marry Bash, to save the boy she loves with all her heart, in spite of how she knows he'll react. The hurt and malice in his voice paired with the anger in the blue eyes she's always loved almost causes her to retract her previous statements in a brief moment of weakness, yet her desire for him to be awake overpowers all her doubt. 

 

Sebastian treats her better than she deserves, he's kind and considerate, and ridiculously patient, considering a part of her was still consistently pining for his brother. He's patient with her, and never pushes her to do anything she's uncomfortable with, and constantly defends her to any person who had a bad word to say about her. The day he tells her the blue dress she has on looks pretty with a slight twinkle in his eye and she has to bite her tongue to prevent herself from agreeing instead of simply thanking him is the very day she realises that no matter her personal misgivings, she had to make the situation she was in worked. 

 

It's on a bright afternoon that she sees his face again, hard and determined; back at French court only to save his mother. (she tells him later some part of her hopes it was for her as well) She spends the day trying to avoid him, at least until opportunity arises for her to be with him once again. 

 

Approaching him, blank letter in one hand, her heart beats increasingly quickly, and it's all she can comprehend after a minute or two. The grin forming on his face grows more obvious with every step she takes in his direction, and when she falls into his embrace, with him repeatedly whispering  _i love you_  in her ear, she knows she's finally home. (when he says 'I’ve always loved you in gold' with a slight smile it's like he's brought all the light back to her life once again. ) 

 

That night, amidst heated glances and warm kisses trailing down her body, with her fingers combing through his curls, and his planted firmly on her hips, both of them gasping for air, she realises that nothing has ever been clearer in her life than her love for this boy who would give her the world if he could. 

 

The rest of their days are spent the same way, holding hands under the tables at strategy meetings, elaborate dances as events they were never sure what for, and exchanging amused glances at dinner parties they don't remember being invited to. Their wedding day is a mix of excitement and anticipation, and Mary thinks the way he looks at her in awe is something that will carry her through any hardships in her lifetime. They were ablaze with passion, so much so that everyone knew not to ever visit their chambers unless precisely called for. Of course they had their fair share of arguments and disagreements, but somehow their love never faltered, and they found that their love could indeed conquer all. The heated arguments more often than not led to the ardent press of his lips against hers, and the next morning she would awake, bare and in his arms, sore from the night before, and all would be right again. They discovered the world in an iridescent fog, every day passing by with increasing vibrancy, though most of the time, with his hand intertwined with hers, it felt as if they were the only two people who had and ever would matter.

 

She awakes on the last day in his chambers like it was any other one. The monochrome surroundings alert her to Francis' staggering breaths, his voice becoming weaker with every intake of breath, hers' simultaneously escalating. It's something she's known for weeks could happen any day, yet some part of her still hoped one day she would open her eyes to him, healthy and well, the light back in his eyes, and the spring back in his step, proposing they explore another part of France. (she never does) That day, she loses her world amid stifled sobs and briny tears forming wet tracks down her cheeks, barely having the courage to accept condolences. She's forcefully pulled away from him, her tears blurring her dim vision, and her heart never really recovers from the way it breaks that day when she sees him lying peacefully with a tiny smile on his pale face, looking as handsome as ever. France lost a king that day, but that very king brought the Queen of Scotlands' heart with him when he left the living. Mary becomes stoic soon after, her surroundings everlastingly bleak and sombre. She spends the remainder of her days mostly silent, as if the world was muted around her, as if her life ended with Francis Valois'.

 

Years later, she finds a letter addressed to her on that same piece of paper she held the day she recognized that he would always be her choice. She unfolds it with trembling hands, drops of tears staining the piece of paper she can barely hold on to as she reads the simple words written in his elegant penmanship. 

 

_my love, thank you for giving me the chance to see this world the way it is, vivid and beautiful, for the first and possibly last time in my life, with you. just know that no matter what happens, i'll always be right there, by your side, enamored by your beauty._

_always yours,_

_francis_

 

Mary keeps the piece of paper tucked into every dress she wears for the rest of her life, until the day she wakes up in his arms, his smiling face pressed against her back, his body wrapped tightly around hers, his blue orbs shining with joy, finally home again. 


End file.
